Portable adjustable bathing structure



MayA 4 1926'. 1,583,127

w, H. uR-rls l PORTABLE BATHING STRUCTURE man" 25, 1924 s sheets-sheet 1Mfrs/vrac WILLIAM H CURTIS i 1,583,127 w. H. cuRTls onrAma ADJUSTABLEBATHING STRUCTURE 'Filed Jan. 2s, 1924 s-sheetsfsneex 2 v fsf May 41926.

' 44 l wmf/vra@ m WILUAM H- Cun'rr.;

t May 4,1926; 1,583,127"

w. H. uRTIs PORTABLE ADJUSTABLEBATHING STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 1924*- 3Sheets-Shea?I 3 /NI/ewra'e WILLIAM H.l Qulz'rl'e Af'beA/,d'y

@M/KW Patented May 4, 1926.

unirse-"sm yWLLIAlir1-1; GURTISQOF WEST BADEN, rNniAnA;

Be it known that I, 'W' ILLrAM:'H1'."UM1S,

a citizen' of the UnitedA States,' residing a West Baden, inthe countyof Orange and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and' useful'inproveinents"ini/Portable' Adjustable Bathing f Structures, ctwhi'chthe following isa spelci'ticationf'y j y My injve'ntionrellites toportable adjustable bathing structures Which are adapted to floatu'ponfther surface of a river or other body of Water.

Many' rivers and adjacent the vcenters otypopul'ation are`r Withoutsuitable bathingbeaches for various reasons among which are: inuddy orroclly bottonis, sivi'i'tl and dangerous current,` great depth ofthe'waterrand treacherous stepofts or holes which disadvantages renderbathing unsafe or undesirable to a. great inajority of persons.

The object of niyinvention' is to provide a sate and satisfactorytloatingrportable adjustable bathing structure adapted toy ybe placed inrivers, lakes or other 'bodies of Water' to furnish a desirable bathing'place for nien, Women and children and Which is 'entirely sate andsanitary, since it permits of adjustment to various depths of Water andpermits the tlo'wingwatei" to readily pass'therethrough. y y

Another object of the invention is to provide convenient bath rooinsupon pontoons suitably spacedY apart and connected together and .havingmounted therebetween a vertically adjustableopenwvorlr enclosureprovided with a oor to torin a safe bathing pool tor persons *of allages.Iv v

My invention consists in providing` and securing pontoons in spacedvapart relation fronieach other and inmountingtherebetween a verticallyadinet-able bathing enclosure. y

My invention alsofconsists in the construction, combination andarrangement of parts as herein set forth and claimed'.

In' the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a 4persp'ective view ofthe entire bathing structure; y

Fig. 2 is an 'end elevation'j thereof;l

Fig. 3 isv a bottoni` vie'W'of Fig.' 1 ;A Fig. {L is a perspectiveViewvr of the open mrkbathing enclosure; l i

Fig", 5 is'a-fpeis'peetive View of the bathing enclosure Ystipportingstructure;

p other Ibodies of `Water secured'` together vPontoon 2 isprovidedivithftlooi 7 and toon" 8 1s provided' with door S.

tops tothe arches 18T Fig. 6 is'an'ins'ideel'evation vot onev side Figiis a verti'c'al'- longitudinal sectionot" iny 'invention talren'fon a yi l ing to line rpof Fig."`2 enc] osur'e voi'nitted y Fig. 8 is a planecorrespond-l `With thef bat-hing perspective" view otono' of the anni ryoors; and" y Y Fig. 9 is acentral verticahsect'io thereof.

In" thejeinbodinent of Ymy 'inven loir, as illustrated andr ywhichshowen prye'ferreicl co'nstruction:7 -I vide-` a `portable^ adjustablebathing structure 1 Whiclr isshown in*l its entirety in lilig.' 1.4 y li Y':totutelation'for supp'ortiny structure consists of pontoons and 3.extending 'along the :respectite sid-es' of tlie'tba-tlii-ng pool 'andA at each Vendl vin" spacedlv apart relation by cross balsll bolted to'the en'dsoil eachl pontoonan'd cross bars' 5 spaced'apart trein'ci-oss*ybars Ll Y'and ittingfbetueen the pontoons and connected thereto byin'eans of angle iroiis- 6 which are bolted respectively lto said crossy`-lars 5' and'pontoons 2 a "dI 3.

POI n l r A 4 A Saidfloors 1 and 8 areconnected4 at' each end by 'Walk-Ways 9 and""10 inoun'tedupo'n' cross bars'el andV `5 at lthe'respectiveends ofthe structure. y A seriesof spacedapartmverti'calguides 11aresecuredv at" t'heirflowve'r ends td thil inner side "of ea'c'hpontoon2y rand re'spectively an'd'siinilar guides l2 are securedmat theirlower, endsl to the inner sidesotycross bars- The upper ends ofsaidgui'de's y'11 and 12 einte'nd` upwardly a considerable distance'above th'enpper surface of the ponto'ons andy are suitably secured attheir oi" 'rectangular traine 13. A in'etal plate 14 having no'tch inits lower edge" isy inounted upon the? inner lower ends of therespective guidesA 11 and 12. These plates are adaptedto hold thesliding'posts' inl position in guides v11 and l2an`d also 'serve tohold'the sides and ends` oli therv enclosure*irruplig'ht position.' f

Bathing" enclosure 16 comprises the underlbeaint Vstructure Whichconsists 'of longitudinal benin l17 and cross r beains 18, y149 'adO andvertical 'sliding posts 21-whiclrV posts are hingedlyconnected vto`beams'y 17, 18,v 19 Floorin' V`22 Vvof thebathing en# closure l'ispreierablyi'V ferne eng-Hey epsd ap l x. to said beams, therebypermitting-the free vwhich engage the circulation of fresh Water andcausing any dirt or sediment to Wash away; andalso providing a perfectlyclean and sanitary pool at all times. The 'fioor may be made in sectionsof suitable Width and length for convenience in handling and whenstoring or shipping it. yThe sides .23 of said enclosure are formed ofspaced apart or open Work sections or panels 24 locatedbetween andspaced apart from each upright post 21 and intermediate solid sectionsyor panels 25 secured to the respective panels 24 and mounted adjacentthe inner surface of said posts but slightly spaced apart therefrom. Therespective ends 26 are formed of spaced apart or open Work sectionsorpanels 27 connected by intermediate solid panels 28 as shown andarranged in the same inanner as solid panels 25. The respective sidesand ends are suitably attached to the .bottom by hinges 29 to providefor fiexibihty which permits the parts to yield slightly under pressureof the Waves or current of Water and the Weight and movements of thebathers. 'lit also prevents binding or pinching in raising' or loweringthe bathing enclosure. The sides and ends, as Well as the bottom beingformed of suitable open Work or spaced apart strips permits the Water tofreely flow therethrough `and also secures thebathers against beingWashed or floated out into deep Water.

This bathing enclosure 16 is mounted between the pontoons 2 and 3, theseveral posts 21 being slidably mounted in guides 11 and 12,respectively, and the sides and ends being Vheld in vertical position bythe plates 14 ends of the open Work sections or panels 24 and 27,respectively.

In order to vertically adjust said bathing enclosure provide a shaft V29(Fig. 2) mounted in suitable bearings 30 at the top of each verticalguide 11 on the inner side of pontoon 2. A. similar shaft in suitablebearings 32 7) at the top of each vertical guide 11 on the inner side ofpontoon 3. Sprocket gears 33 and 34 (Fig. 2) are fixed to one end ofshafts 29 and 31, respectively, and are made to turn in unison byendless chain 35 mounted thereon. Said shaft 31 is provided With asecond sprocket gear 36 (Fig. 7) which is adapted to receive endlesschain 37 and connects said gear to sprocket gear 38 on Windlass 39(Figs. 1 and 2). Drums 40 are fixed on shafts 29 and 31 and are locatedin guides 11. Chains or cables 41 are each attached vat one end to drumsand at the other end to eyes 42 secured to Vthe upper ends of slidingposts 21.V

To raise or lower the bathing enclosure f 16 simply turn the manuallyoperated crank 43 of Windlass 39 thereby turning shaft 31 throughendless chain 37 and sprocket gear 36. Sprocket gear 34 fixed tothe endof 31 is mounted,

shaft 31 in turn imparts rotary motion to shaft 29 through endless chain35 and sprocket gear 33 thereby imparting rotary motion t0 drums 40fixed to shafts 29 and 31, respectively, whereby the bathing enclosureis respectively raised or lowered caused b f Winding or unwinding chainor cable 41 around said drums. rThe bathing enclosure may be elevated orlowered in this manner by hand or by motor. Figs. 1 and 2 show the handarrangement wherein Windlass 39 is. employed.

To relieve the strain or Weight of the bathing enclosure 16 from thechains or cables 41 the vertical sliding posts 21 are preferablyprovided with a series of transverse holes 44 arranged a suitabledistance apart and adapted to register With holes 45 in guides 11through which a pin may be inserted and by Which the pool enclosure maybe supported at any adjusted position. ln order to provide additionalstrength for the structure the ends 13 of rectangular frame 13 arepreferably arched as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and, if desired,intermediate arches may be provided for greater security. 'lhe notches15 Vpermit supporting cross beams 18, 19 and 2O of the bathing p-oolenclosure 16 to be elevated so that theirI lower sides may be adjustedflush with the bottoms of the respective pontoons 2 and 3.

The average size of the pool enclosure would preferably be from thirtyto forty feet Wide and from eighty to one hundred feet in length andsuch a structure could be easily raised or lowered by two nien.

lf desired, the pontoons can be made in two or more separable sectionsfor convenience in transportation over land on cars, and the severalparts are so constructed that it can be readily taken apart for storageor shipment. The cross beams 13, 19 and 29 Would preferably -be fromtwelve to fifteen feet apart.

This bathing structure provides a clean, safe and smooth floor on whichto Walk and is particularly adapted for the use of persons learning toswim.

lf desired, the bathing enclosure 16 may be provided at one end With aremovable auxiliary floor 46 adapted to be mounted some distanceP abovethe permanent bottom to provide a shallow pool for children, While themain or permanent floor or bottom of the enclosure is subl merged in theWater to a depth suitable for adults. rllhis auxiliary floor may beplaced in position when desired or omitted entirely as occasionrequires. The pool for adults may be separated from the childrens poolby a removable partition 47 such as clearly shown in Fig. 4. f Y

A series of dressing rooms 43 With a Walk- Way 49 between said rooms'andbathing enclosure may, if desired, be provided. The

formed in sections. andV roof 50 of these dressing rooms may be used asa rest or recreation place for bathers and others and said roof may beprovided with suitable benches l and chairs 52. Stairs or steps 53 areprovided for convenient access to the roof. A safety railing 54C ispreferably provided.

also preferably provide an elevated platform 55 upon pontoon 3 similarto roof 50 having' stairs 56 leading thereto and being enclosed forsafety by railing 57. Said platform serves to provide a shelter and toshade the flooring of said pontoon and may be used for any'desiredpurpose.

Flexible diving board 58 having one end 59 fixed to elevated platform 60has nonslipping material 6l secured to its free end for the purpose ofenabling' bathers to stand thereon and dive therefrom into the poolwithout danger of slipping.V Steps 62 lead from walk-way to platform 60for convenient accessibility to the diving board.

Steps 63 are placed on the sides of the bathing enclosure forconvenience of bathers in entering or leaving the bathing pool.

An advantage ofthe invention consists in means whereby the poolenclosure can be raised upv so that the bottom is above or even with thebottoms of the pontoons to permit the bathing structure to be drawn upclose Y to the bank of the river or other body of water.

Another advantage of my invention is that when there is a higlrstage ofwater which entirely snbmerges the bathing` beaches, my floating bathing-enclosure may be suitably anchored and used withentire safety.

lllhen it is desired to move or transport the structure from one pointto another upon the water,the bathing enclosure may be elevated to aposition above the water so .that

the pontoons only will draw against the water, thereby greatlyfacilitating the moving of the `structure from one location to anotherwith a greatly reduced draft of power.

By adjustiiigthe pool enclosure to the elevated position out of contactwith the water A the draft of the pontoons only in the water would bereduced to a minimum, whereby 'work the entire structure can betransported through very shallow water, not drawing over fourteen inchesin depth and thereby permit it to be transported over long distances ofshallow water from one bathing point to another.`

.fr further advantage of my invention is that in case any of thebathers, (who might suddenly, through weakness, cramps, heart failuijeor otherwise, such as ineXperience in swimming) should become helpless,the bathing enclosure may be quickly raised to permit the water vto runout and thereby save the bather from drowning.

My invention is capable of some modification without departure from itsscope or spirit as defined in the claim, as for instance, fairlygoodresults may be obtained by a permanent open work non-adjustableenclosure between the pontoons.

What I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent is: l

in a. portable adjustable bathing structure, a pair of pontoons spacedapart and connected together and having a plurality of vertical side andend upwardly extending guides, a metal plate mounted on the inner lowerend of each guide and having a notch in its lower edge, a bath enclosuresupporting structure` comprising horizontal beams and upright postshinged'thereto, said upright posts being mounted to be moved verticallyin said guides, respectively, and said horizontal beams adapted to bemoved into and out of said notches, an open-work bath'- ing enclosurecomprising alternating openwork panels and vsolid panels, said 'openwork panels being in alinement and spaced apart from each otherat theirends and said solid panels being connected to said openpanels inparallel relation therewith, an open-work bottom, hinges connecting saidpanels to said bottom, said upright posts being` disposed between theends of sait open-work panels, respectively, all combined and operating,vsubstantially as set forth and for the purposes specified.

WILLIAM H. oUaTrs.

